Disinfo: US very likely to deploy banned arms in Europe to provoke West-Russia tensions

Summary

There are reasons to assume that the US striking forces, previously banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, are highly likely to be deployed in the Pacific Rim and Europe to provoke tensions. Such a decision will inevitably lead to an arms race, a growth of the conflict potential will increase the probability of incidents.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative casting US and Western foreign policymaking as a series of provocations against the always-benign (but very powerful) Russia. The claim is unsupported by any evidence and relies on false precision to give the claim a coat of factuality. Russian officials and state media routinely prophesy oddly specific Western "provocations" against Russia which, for reasons unknown, never come to fruition. In 2019 alone, pro-Kremlin outlets said that NATO would kill its own officers to provoke a new conflict in Ukraine; that the UK would use its chemical labs to kill even more Russians; that the US was planning an anti-Russian operation in the Black Sea; that Canada was also planning an anti-Russian operation in the Black Sea; that NATO would intervene in Crimea to rig the Ukrainian presidential election. See here for our explainer on the importance of paranoia in disinformation.

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sputniknews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 170
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Russia
  • Keywords: INF Treaty, West, Missile defence system, Provocation, Sergey Shoigu, Europe, Russophobia
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Disinfo: Kyiv is sabotaging the peace settlement in Donbas

Kyiv does not want to fulfill all it’s obligations [ to the Minsk accords and the Steinmeier Formula] and, in particular, to withdraw their forces.

Oct 20, 2019
Disproof

One of the pro-Kremlin messages about the Kyiv government sabotaging peace in the Donbas region. See previous cases about the Minsk agreements and the war in Ukraine. According to the daily report by the SMM OSCE, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but those violations came from both sides. It is the same situation concerning the withdrawal of forces. The SMM OSCE observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region and in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. Steinmeier's Formula calls for elections to be held in the separatist-held territories under Ukrainian legislation and the supervision of the OSCE. The withdrawal of forces is the other step that should be done before the planned elections. "There won't be any elections there if the troops are still there," said the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Disinfo: The West is aiming to destroy Russia

They will use them [ISIS] against us. The task of the West, America, Europe is to destroy our state. They have already tried to do this through the Chechen Republic, through Ossetia, Georgia, and Ukraine.

Oct 20, 2019
Disproof

This is a conspiracy consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on Western belligerence towards Russia and it is also in line with the previous narratives accusing the US and other Western countries in supporting and using jihadist groups to advance geopolitical goals. The US-led military campaign in Syria has been fighting against ISIS and other Islamic terrorist groups along with the Global Coalition Against Daesh. Background and a similar case can be seen here and here. The policy of the US or the EU is not directed against Russia or any other country. See similar narratives here, here, and here.

Disinfo: The West is behind terrorist organisations in the Middle East

In fact, as long as the West, Europe and their policies exist, terrorist organisations will also exist, like Al-Qaeda in the past or these shaitans [devils] now. This is not just a gang or a group of bandits or some kind of Islamists. These are trained people who were provided with help from Western intelligence and who know very well what they should do.

Oct 20, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given to support this claim and a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that either the US or the West is behind the creation of ISIS/Daesh. This message is part of a broader conspiracy theory alleging that the United States and its NATO partners have established many terrorist organisations and control global terrorism. In reality, the US is committed to fighting terrorist organisations, such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda.

See similar messages about the US being behind terrorist organisations here, here and here.